Yukoners encouraged to Share the Spirit as annual holiday toy drive begins
For immediate release
WHITEHORSE, Yukon, Nov. 13, 2026– The holiday season is officially underway at Northwestel as the company joined community leaders and the Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society today to launch its annual Holiday Toy Drive, helping bring gifts and holiday cheer to families in the Yukon and Atlin, BC, who are in need.
The kick-off celebration at Northwestel’s Whitehorse retail store brought together representatives from the Kwanlin Dün First Nation, City of Whitehorse, Bank of Montreal, and Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society to celebrate the spirit of giving and encourage Yukoners to support local families this holiday season.
“Our Holiday Toy Drive is a chance to come together with our neighbours and make the season a little brighter for families who could use some extra support. We’re proud to continue this tradition alongside the Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society and our community partners,” said Andy Kaszycki, Northwestel’s Vice President of Operations.
First launched in 2005 as a grassroots, employee-led initiative at Northwestel’s retail store in Fort Nelson, BC, the Holiday Toy Drive has grown into a longstanding tradition of giving back to northern communities.
In Whitehorse, Northwestel partnered with the Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society in 2016 to support its Share the Spirit program, which helps bring holiday joy to hundreds of Yukon families each year. Last year, the Whitehorse Toy Drive set a new record, with more than 500 toys collected at Northwestel’s retail store. This year, the company hopes to build on that success with the support of generous Yukoners.
Nicholas O’Carroll of the Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society shared, “We’re proud to continue working with partners like Northwestel to support families across the Yukon and Northern B.C. Our partnership is a natural fit, as we share a commitment to strengthening connections between communities across the North. Every gift dropped off at a Northwestel retail store has the potential to brighten the holidays for a family in Old Crow, Atlin, or Dawson City.”
As part of today’s Toy Drive launch, Northwestel announced a $5,000 donation to the Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society’s Share the Spirit program.
From Nov. 13 to Dec. 10, Northwestel is collecting new, unwrapped toys at its retail location in Whitehorse, located at 1-9027 Quartz Road. All toys collected in Whitehorse will be donated to the Share the Spirit program for distribution to Yukon and Northern BC families during the holidays.
Media organizations interested in obtaining photos from today’s Holiday Toy Drive kick-off event are welcome to contact Northwestel Media Relations.
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About Northwestel
Northwestel is the largest telecommunications provider in Canada’s North, serving 97 communities across the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, as well as Northern British Columbia and Northern Alberta. Beginning in 2020, Northwestel’s Every Community Project significantly improved broadband services for northern residents, governments, and businesses using the latest fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technologies. Now, over 95% of homes in Yukon and NWT have access to high-speed, unlimited fibre-powered internet, either FTTH or fibre-to-the-neighbourhood. Northwestel is proud to provide services on the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples across Canada’s North.
Contact
Northwestel Media Relations
media@nwtel.ca
(867) 455-4209
Nicholas O’Carroll
Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society
(867) 333-0931
sharethespiritwhitehorse@gmail.com
info@afterthefireisout.com
